


Everything will Pan Out

by genericfanatic



Category: tangled before ever after - Fandom
Genre: Multi, PTSD, eventual polyamory, mentions of canonical child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-10-20 17:48:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10667706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genericfanatic/pseuds/genericfanatic
Summary: Rapunzel tries to gain closure between herself and Lady Caine, but ends up feeling more lost and confused than before. Especially as she gets more and more confused about her feelings for her beloved boyfriend, Eugene, and her handmaiden Cassandra.





	1. Madame Lilia Has Been Captured Once Again

**Author's Note:**

> So I saw Tangled: Before Ever After and was just so thrilled that we got relationship drama that...I dunno, made sense to me? Like, neither of them were the bad guy and...it was just so refreshing. And of course I immediately thought polyamory when I saw Cassandra, so, decided if the show wasn't going to do it, I'd do it myself, and also bring up some issues I think the show skirts around a bit without directly addressing. But who knows, maybe we'll all be surprised and it will.

The dungeon was old and dusty. Rapunzel picked her braid up off the floor as she made her way down. She wished for once she had worn shoes, even just a simple pair of sandals. She could tell her feet would be black by the time she got out of here.

 

She swallowed, passing the cells. The criminals looked up at her, surprised by the presence of the princess among them. She was slightly surprised herself. Eugene had asked her not to, but she had felt the necessity for closure. It had been eating at her since her argument with Uncle Monty. She would never get the chance to say this to Mother Gothel, but she could confront Lady Caine.

 

Taking a deep breath, she made it to the last cell where a young woman lay back on her cot. Her hair was a mess, and her eyes were dark, but she seem relaxed. Lifting her head, she smirked at the sight of Rapunzel. “Well, don’t I feel honored? The Princess has graced me with her presence. And here I am without having dusted.”

 

“I wanted to talk to you,” Rapunzel said.

 

“Sorry, I’m busy at the moment,” Lady Caine rolled over, turning her back to Rapunzel.

 

Rapunzel cleared her throat, steeling herself, “I just wanted to say…what happened to you and your father was terrible, but it wasn’t my fault.” She took a deep breath, “You are responsible for your own actions, and you should not have tried to attack me or my father. If you don’t like me, that’s fine, but what you did was wrong, and I did not deserve it.”

 

Rapunzel let out a breath as she finished the words. It felt good to get them off her chest. She had been blaming herself for all these attacks for so long, and it had been tearing her up.

 

Lady Caine turned her head just slightly toward the jail cell doors. “That’s it? That’s what you came to tell me?”

 

Rapunzel swallowed, “Uhh…yes?”

 

Lady Caine let out a low chuckle. “You came all the way down to the dungeons, getting those pretty princess feet all dirty, to berate a person you put into prison? To make yourself feel better?”

 

Rapunzel blinked, “Uhh…that’s not—“

 

“I scraped my arm on the prison wall the other day, if you want to pour some salt into that,” She said, sitting up.

 

Rapunzel swallowed nervously, “I-I didn’t mean—“

 

“You meant to relieve yourself of your guilt,” she said, “Well, you’re right, Princess. YOU weren’t the one who dragged my father away when I was just a little girl. No, that was your father and your guards.” She got up, “YOU weren’t the one who forced me to scrounge for food to get by. You weren’t the one who kicked me down at an orphanage until everything good was gone, forcing me to run away.” She walked up to the cage door, “No, it wasn’t your fault. But when you returned you were perfectly willing to act as though nothing had happened. You dismissed all the heinous things your father has done to the people of Corona, so you could live your ‘happy ever after’ as the perfect little princess. So, yes, I hate you, Princess. I hate your perky little smile, your big blue eyes, and every damn strand of your signature golden head.”

 

Rapunzel clutched her braid to her chest, squeezing it to prevent herself from having her lip wobble. “It…” she said, “It still doesn’t…you still committed a crime…having a difficult childhood doesn’t excuse—“

 

Lady Caine slammed her hand on the bar, the clang making Rapunzel jump. “Excuse? I’m not looking for an excuse, Princess. No, no…this is rebellion. Rebellion for everything your family has done. Rebellion because you can’t just treat us this way and then sweep us under the rug like nothing happened!”

 

Rapunzel backed up a step. She swallows, “There are…there are better ways,” She said, “There are other…more peaceful things you could have done.”

 

Lady Caine snorted, “Sure. I suppose I could just have kissed a princess. That’d pull me RIGHT out of poverty.” Rapunzel balked. “Eh, you’re pretty enough. I’d be willing.” She reached out from the bars to Rapunzel’s hair.

 

Rapunzel backed up several steps, “Stay away from me!”

 

Lady Caine chuckled, “Ah, so she’s forgotten so easily that her former beau was once Flynn Rider, Corona’s most wanted thief.”

 

“He doesn’t do that anymore,” Rapunzel said, “Eugene has made up for all of his past mistakes and he’s—“

 

“Wait a second,” Lady Caine cut her off, her demeanor changing, “Say that again?”

 

Rapunzel blinked, “Eugene doesn’t—“

 

“Eugene?” she said, “Rider’s real name is Eugene? That wouldn’t be…Eugene Fitzherbert, would it?”

 

Rapunzel’s frown deepened, “You know him?”

 

Lady Caine bowed her head, chuckling. When she lifted herself again, she was full-blown laughing. Rapunzel stepped back again, confused. “Ahhh, thank you for coming down here, princess, that is exactly the kind of thing I needed to hear to get me through this.” She pressed her body against the bars, “And tell Eugene this: Madame Lilia has been captured once again.”

 

 

“Madame Lilia?” Eugene asked while eating dinner in Rapunzel’s suite.

 

“Do you know her?” Rapunzel asked, still feeling confused.

 

Eugene gave a chuckle, swallowing a mouthful of food, “Madame Lilia’s a story book character, from the Flynn Rider series.” He took another bite of the dish that he couldn’t pronounce, “She was often kidnapped by various villains and troublemakers, so she could be rescued by Flynn.”

 

Rapunzel tapped her fork on her plate slowly, deep in thought, “But…Lady Caine seemed to be referring to HERSELF as Madame Lilia.”

 

Flynn shrugged, “She’s just trying to get in your head. I told you that you shouldn’t have gone down there.”

 

“Well, that’s the thing…” Rapunzel said, “She had points. It sounds like her life has been horrible up to this point.”

 

“Your life was horrible too,” Eugene said, “So was mine. Didn’t turn either of us on a vengeance spree.”

 

Rapunzel screwed up her face, “You…you were a thief, though.”

 

Eugene paused his chewing. Rapunzel instantly felt guilt wash over her. Eugene didn’t really like to talk about his own life that much. “I…made a lot of mistakes,” Eugene said, “But you showed me what life was really about.”

 

Rapunzel gave him a small smile, “I was going to say the same thing about you.”

 

Eugene instantly warmed, covering her hand with his own, then lifting it to place a light kiss on her knuckles, his eyes full of love. Rapunzel chuckled, “You’re right, I shouldn’t think about her anymore. I said my piece, and that’s the end of it.”

 

“That’s right,” Eugene nodded.

 

“So what if her father was taken from her? He was a criminal, right?”

 

Eugene swallowed awkwardly, “Yeah, that’s…that’s right.”

 

“So what if…if she was forced to grow up in an orphanage,” Rapunzel said, the guilt still eating her, “That wasn’t my fault, there was nothing I could do!”

 

“Yeah…wait, did you say orphanage?” Eugene asked. Rapunzel nodded, “And she knew my name, my real name?”

 

“Yes?” Rapunzel said, “Eugene, do you know her?”

 

Eugene screwed up his face, thinking, “There was a girl at the orphanage…she played Madame Lilia whenever we would act out the Flynn Rider stories…” He thought long and hard about it, “Actually…if I age her up a bit, give her different hair and add on tattoos…actually…holy…” He snapped his eyes open, “Oh my god, she’s Agnes!”

 

There was the sound of a clatter and they both turned. Cassandra was standing in the doorway, scampering to pick up the tray she’d dropped. “Are you eavesdropping now, Cassandra?” Eugene demanded of her.

 

“Buzz off,” She said, collecting herself. Thankfully the tray had no drinks on it, “I just walked in to take your dishes to the kitchen.”

 

“You can take mine, the Princess has barely started,” Eugene said, taking his napkin from his lap and put it on his plate.

 

“I’m not hungry,” Rapunzel said, “Cassandra, have you eaten? You can have mine.”

 

“You need to eat, Raps,” Cassandra put her hand on Rapunzel’s back.

 

Rapunzel did not seem as concerned with eating as the other two. “So…you knew Lady Caine as a child?”

 

Eugene swallowed, “Possibly…I mean, she looks very different.” He gave a half shrug, “I mean, I guess that’s what happens when people get older.”

 

Rapunzel tapped her fork again, “What was…what was she like?” She asked hesitantly. Eugene took a deep sigh, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” She said, despite desperately wanting to know.”

 

“It’s okay,” He said, relieving her. “Its just…it was a long time ago. Little orphan Agnes…she was…sweet, I guess.” He swallowed, “She was one of the younger kids who would follow me around all the time. I was one of the few at the orphanage that could read, so the kids just ate up all the stories I told them, none more so than Agnes.” He smirked, “She was always frustrated that Madame Lilia didn’t get to do as much. Whenever we had another of the kids play the villain, she’d insist on sword-fighting him herself. She was like my little sister, and I’d kiss her on the forehead instead of the lips when I ‘rescued’ her.”

 

Cassandra and Rapunzel listened with rapt attention. “What happened to her?” Rapunzel asked.

 

Eugene shrugged, “Dunno. When I was a teenager I realized I would never gain any kind of riches as Eugene the orphan boy, so, I left the orphanage and all the kids there behind, including Agnes.”

 

Cassandra screwed up her face deep in thought. “And…this Agnes…what did she look like before she became Lady Caine?”

 

“Why do you want to know that?” Eugene asked, crossing his arms and glaring at her.

 

“Just answer the question!” She demanded.

 

Eugene held up his hands in surrender, “Well, lets see…last time I saw her, she had really long hair—nothing on you, Rapunzel, of course—and it was like, browner? I think she’s died it slightly red since then. No tattoos, obviously…but now that I think of it, she did have a scar, right on her arm where Lady Caine’s tattoo is. She was always self-conscious about it, no wonder she got the tat to cover it up. The scar looked like a little hook or a sickle or—“

 

Eugene was cut off as Cassandra choked on the water she had taken from Rapunzel’s plate. She coughed and cleared her throat, Rapunzel patting her on the back, “A sickle?” She finally managed, her face red, “You're SURE it was a sickle?” She curved her finger and put it on her shoulder, “Right here?”

 

Eugene frowned, “How did you know that?”

 

Cassandra swallowed, “I—I think I knew her too. Or, I knew an Agnes with a sickle scar on her shoulder. It was before she was Lady Caine. I never knew her last name, I just…she looked so different when she was trying to kidnap people I didn’t even realize it was her.”

 

“Well, she did have all that make-up and stuff,” Rapunzel said.

 

“Still,” Cassandra said, “I should have realized…she didn’t say anything, why didn’t she say anything?”

 

“She might not have recognized you either,” Eugene said, “I mean, I meet people all the time, and then we run into each other again years later, and we don’t even realize, and—“

 

“It wasn’t a run-in,” Cassandra said, “Agnes came around the castle a number of times, and she and I…we were close…”

 

“How close?” Rapunzel asked.

 

Cassandra swallowed, “Very close…”

 

_“Well, look who it is!” Cassandra turned at the voice, “My favorite castle guard.”_

_Cassandra couldn’t help but smile as Agnes sauntered up to her, “I’m still in training, Agnes,” she said._

_Agnes waved her protest away, “We both know you’re already better than half the guard. Probably more.”_

_Cassandra shrugged, humbly. “Well, most of them have only been training a few years. I’ve trained all my life.”_

_Agnes chuckled and threw her arms around Cassandra’s neck, “And that’s why you’re my favorite.” She leaned in to kiss her lips._

_“Agnes!” Cassandra protested, pushing her back, “Not here! I’m on duty!”_

_“Oh, come on,” Agnes said, “No one’s going to try and breach this one little section of wall. Why don’t you take a quick break?”_

_“Its my job, Agnes!” Cassandra pushed Agnes off of her. Agnes looked down at the ground, dejected. “Hey—I’m—I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to push so much—“_

_“No, no, you’re right,” She said, sniffling, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come here.”_

_She turned away, but Cassandra lightly grabbed her arm, “Hey…wait, it’s okay. What’s wrong?”_

_Agnes turned back, sniffling, “Its just…some of my father’s people found me today.”_

_Cassandra blinked in surprise, “Your father?”_

_“It just brought up a lot of bad memories—and—and—“ a tear leaked out of Agnes’ eyes._

_“Hey…” Cassandra said, collecting her in her arms, “Hey, it’s okay…it’s alright…”_

_“I’ve just had a really bad day,” Agnes wept into Cassandra’s shoulders._

_Cassandra sighed, lightly stroking Agnes’ long brown hair. “It’s okay, it’s okay…why don’t we go somewhere more private, and you can tell me all about it?”_

_Cassandra lightly pushed Agnes hair out of her face behind her ear as she sniffled, her eyes just starting to get red and puffy. “I’d rather just…take my mind off things, you know?” Agnes said._

_Cassandra smiled and gently kissed her lips. “Sure, love. Anything you want.”_

_They found a storage closet to make out in. Finally, there were loud noises coming from outside, “What is that?” Cassandra asked._

_“Probably just nothing,” Agnes said, grabbing Cassandra’s face and pulling it towards her again, but Cassandra was fully distracted now._

_“I should probably just go check it out.” She got up and opened the door to chaos._

_A number of men in black clothing were scaling the wall, lugging large bags of unnamed treasures over their shoulders, all being pursued by guards._

_Cassandra drew her sword and cut one of the lines, the man on it dropping to the ground. She engaged him in combat, slicing the bag open and letting the jewels and gold spill out onto the ground. She tried to subdue him, but at the last moment she felt a blow to her head from behind._

_She looked up from the ground and saw the fuzzy outline of Agnes, shooting a grappling hook over the castle wall, and looking down at Cassandra, “They made me do it,” She said, getting the man Cassandra had been facing to climb the line, “I really am sorry.”_

_The last thing Cassandra saw before she blacked out was Agnes climbing the wall and disappearing from her life._

Eugene and Rapunzel’s eyes were wide as Cassandra finished up her tale. Eugene shook himself, breaking his own spell. “I have questions.”

 

Cassandra sighed, annoyed. “Yes, I used to be a castle guard, usually women aren’t allowed but my father was Captain, so I was trained. Yes, I lost my position because I abandoned my post that night and allowed robbers to get in. Yes, my father arranged for me to be a handmaiden after the incident. And yes…” She swallowed, “I am a lesbian.”

 

Eugene nodded, taking in the information. “Okay, that answers all my questions.”

 

Rapunzel, meanwhile, looked between the two, confused. “What’s a lesbian?”

 

Eugene and Cassandra occasionally forgot the extent to which Rapunzel had been isolated in her childhood. They looked at each other, having their typical silent debate about which one of them would explain the new term this time. Usually Eugene gave in, but this time it was settled when he said, “You are one, you should explain.”

 

Cassandra gave her typical annoyed at Eugene sigh again, “It…It just means that I like girls.”

 

Rapunzel blinked. “Well, I like girls too. I like everyone!”

 

“No, no sweetie,” Eugene said, “She means liking girls romantically. So, just like I love you, and you love me, Cassandra loves…” Eugene motioned over to Cassandra and froze. Several things clicked in Eugene’s mind, allowing him a moment of clarity he rarely experienced. He watched Cassandra, who was still looking at Rapunzel, her gaze a combination of amusement at Rapunzel’s lack of knowledge, uncertainty in how she’d be treated, exasperation at having to explain this…but overwhelming her face was a look of love. It was the same expression Eugene knew he gave Rapunzel every day. Like a stone had landed on his head, he was hit with 3 little words: _Cassandra loves Rapunzel._

After a stretch of time, Cassandra switched her gaze to look at Eugene instead. The love was gone, replaced by a realization of her own. Cassandra knew that Eugene knew her feelings. And now Eugene knew that Cassandra knew and….they both knew, is the point.

 

“Eugene?” Rapunzel asked when he had been silent for to long.

 

“Girls!” He finally finished his sentence, “Cassandra loves girls.”

 

“Oh,” Rapunzel said, “I didn’t know you could do that.”

 

Cassandra sighs, “Its not as common. In some places—many places—it’s looked down upon.”

 

“Oh, that’s horrible,” Rapunzel said, and she grasped Cassandra’s hand. Eugene was fixated on the color rising in Cassandra’s cheeks. “If anyone ever looks down on you for who you love, you come right to me, and I’ll deal with them.”

 

Cassandra looked into Rapunzel’s eyes and smiled. Then her gaze flickered to Eugene again, and she quickly pulled her hands out of Rapunzels, “Um…I’ll just…take these dishes down for now. You really should eat,” She said, quickly collecting Eugene’s used dishes and heading for the door.

 

The second the door closed behind her, Eugene shot up, “Um, you know, I forgot something, to talk with Cassandra about…just…um…” He swallowed, unsure how to finish his lie, “I’ll be right back,” And he sped out, closing the door on Rapunzel’s confused face.

 

“Cassandra!” He called, but she did not slow down. He ran after her, finally meeting up outside of the kitchens, “Cassandra wait, we need to talk about this—“

 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Cassandra said, trying to push past him.

 

“Yes, there is!” he said. Cassandra huffed, waiting for him to get out whatever he wanted to say. “You…so you really love..”

 

“Your girlfriend?” Cassandra said, harshly, “Yeah…”

 

She finally did push into the washroom, which was thankfully empty, so Eugene had no qualms following her. “This all makes so much more sense!” He said, “I’ve always wondered why you hated me.”

 

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Cassandra said, intentionally splashing him as she drew a wet rag from a bucket and started scrubbing at the dirty dish, “I hate you because you are a deeply unpleasant person. You’re selfish, egotistical, arrogant—“

 

“I get the picture,” Eugene said, crossing his arms grumpily.

 

“But…” She said, “You make Rapunzel happy. So, I’m not going to try and get in between that, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

 

“It wasn’t, actually,” Eugene said, “Come on, Cass, I’d hoped you’d know me better than that, at least. I’m just…I’m worried about you, I guess. I know how hard it can be to be around someone you love when they don’t return your—“

 

“Don’t,” Cassandra said, splashing him again, “Don’t you dare pity me, Rider. I’m a big girl, I can handle myself.” Her calm voice was mismatched against the fierce way she scrubbed at the dish.

 

“Right.” Eugene said, “Well, if you’re sure…”

 

“I am.” She snapped, “Now leave, go back to your girlfriend. I have work to do.”

 

Eugene sighed, wanting to say more, but empty of words. He made his way to the door before looking back. “In two days, I’m going to propose to Rapunzel again,” He said. Her back was turned, and he couldn’t see any reaction, “Just…if you were looking to take a day off any time soon—“

 

“Go away, Rider,” She said.

 

With one last sigh, he closed the door behind him, and left her to sob over the dishes.


	2. Rapunzel, do you know how dangerous that is?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel discusses the kingdom with her father.

“Now don’t you worry, darling,” Eugene said, “I shall return early tomorrow morning. You won’t even know I’m gone!”

 

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Rapunzel said, as he loaded his bag onto Maximus.

 

“Question? What question?”

 

“Where are you going?” She repeated herself slowly, now officially suspicious.

 

“I didn’t tell you that? Oh, its so simple, I can’t believe I never mentioned it, I really thought I did,” He said, mounting the horse.

 

She huffed, not truly mad, just frustrated, “And now you’re stalling.”

 

“Fear not, gentle maiden,” He said, “I shall return on the morrow.” He leaned over to kiss Rapunzel’s head, then kicked Maximus to go forward. Maximus glared at him over his shoulder, but moved all the same.

 

“Eugene!” She called after him, “Where are you going?!”

 

“I can’t hear you!” He called back, and disappeared.

 

Rapunzel huffed again. She would just have to interrogate Eugene when he returned tomorrow morning.

 

As it happens, she had plans for the day anyway.

 

Rapunzel took a deep breath, “Okay,” She encouraged herself, “You can do this, you can do this, you can—“

 

“Princess?” Pete the guard said, and she jumped.

 

“Ah! Ahh, hello, Pete!” She smiled composing herself.

 

“The king is ready to see you now.”

 

She took a deep breath, “Thanks, Pete,” and walked in.

 

The king was seated at his table in his meeting room, looking up and smiling at Rapunzel, “My dear,” He said, “What can I do for you?”

 

She smiled back at him, “I wanted to talk to you.”

 

He gave a warm chuckle, “I assumed so, given you came to talk with me,” she bit her lip, nervous, “Come, sit down, won’t you?”

 

Rapunzel jumped forward and sat in front of her father, stroking her long braid for comfort. “Well…I’ve just…Well, honestly, I’ve been thinking some about…how you said I need to be ready to take over the kingdom, someday.”

 

He smiled, warmly, “That’s wonderful, Rapunzel. I’m so glad to see you take steps to prepare yourself.”

 

She nodded, happily. “Right, well, I thought, perhaps I could start by putting my focus on one issue. You know, to start gaining experience, before I take on more.”

 

“What a wonderful idea,” he said. She glowed at the praise. “And very wise, if I might say so. I would be willing to help you find an issue to work on if you’d like.”

 

“Actually, I already have one in mind.” She takes a deep breath, this was the big thing. “Well…it sort of ties into crime prevention.”

 

The king nodded sagely, his smile turning into a frown. “Rapunzel, have you felt unsafe recently?”

 

Rapunzel waved her arms, “No, no, not at all. It’s just…” She sighed, “I—I have some ideas I think would help.”

 

The King’s frown deepened, “I don’t know, Rapunzel. The security of the realm is a big job, and very violent. I’d hate to see you involved with something like that.”

 

Rapunzel felt herself shrinking, but shook her head, “No, Father, you misunderstand. I’m talking about crime PREVENTION, not security or guards or anything.” She swallowed, squeezing her braid tighter to give her strength.

 

The King sat back in his chair, “I’m not quite sure what you mean.”

 

She cleared her throat, “Well. Due to…somewhat recent events…I’ve been thinking about how it is that criminals become criminals. You know, what drives them to it, and…for a portion of it, I think it’s preventable.” She smiles, waiting for her reaction.

 

The King does not seem pleased. “I don’t like the idea of you dealing with criminals, Rapunzel,” he said. He then muttered just loud enough for her to hear, “One in the palace is bad enough.”

 

Rapunzel hung her head at the slight on Eugene. She wanted to defend him, but she wasn’t sure how…and besides, she still had a point to discuss. “It wouldn’t be dealing necessarily with criminals. Not directly, I suppose. But really assisting people and families in poverty, people at risk for criminal behavior, and helping them to achieve a better life. Not to mention rehabilitation for people in jail or who have come out of jail, so they can lead better, happier lives.”

 

The King took a deep sigh, “Rapunzel, what your talking about sounds…admirable, but I simply can’t allow that.”

 

She blinked, feeling her heart fall into her stomach. “Why not?”

 

He groaned, trying to find the right words. “While some, maybe even most of the people you’re talking about I’m sure are lovely people, some of them truly are dangerous. The princess cannot be accompanying those sorts of people. I couldn’t bear it if you were hurt, Rapunzel.”

 

She swallowed, trying to find the words to argue against him, “It…it wouldn’t be so different than my work with the orphans,” She said, “They aren’t dangerous, they just…they need help.”

 

“That’s another thing,” The King said, “Rapunzel, one of the hardest things you have to understand is in order to help people, sometimes, you have to know what’s best for them, and allow them to help themselves.”

 

Rapunzel blinked at him, “That…that doesn’t make sense…” Oh no, was this another thing that she had missed in her years away? Was this another obvious thing she didn’t know?

 

“My dear…if you gave help to everyone who asked for it, this kingdom would have nothing left to give. You are young and naïve. I’d hate to see you taken advantage of.”

 

“But father…” Rapunzel said, “We have so much to give. If we just gave a little, maybe not as many people would be forced out on the streets, forced to steal to live.”

 

The King sat back, and Rapunzel vaguely recognized his body language turning from concern to anger. “I see,” he said, making her want to shrink away to nothing, “This is about that boy you’re seeing, isn’t it?”

 

Rapunzel blinked, squirming in her nervousness, “Eugene? No…I mean, I suppose, it relates to his childhood, but—”

 

“Did he send you here?” He demanded, his voice raising, “Does he want more support from you?”

 

“I—I—“

 

He took her stuttering as confirmation, “Haven’t we already given him enough? What more could he want?”

 

“It’s about Lady Caine!” She shouted, then covered her mouth. “I—I’m sorry,” she stuttered, eyes watering. “I’m…I’m so, so sorry, please don’t be mad.”

 

The King softened just slightly, “What about Lady Caine?” he asked, more calmly.

 

She swallowed, stopping herself from crying, “Its…well…I just…I went to go see her the other day.”

 

“You went to go see her?” His father said, getting up, and Rapunzel shrunk into herself further, “Rapunzel, do you know how dangerous that is?”

 

In her mind, Rapunzel was thrown back to her years with Mother Gothel, “ _Go outside? Rapunzel, do you know how dangerous that is?”_

“Provoking a mad woman like that…” the king continued, “Rapunzel, she might have tried to kill you.”

 

“She was in jail…” Rapunzel muttered, “And I…I can handle myself. I helped put her away.”

 

The King took a deep sigh, “Rapunzel, I forbid you from going down to see her ever again. She was just trying to manipulate you, just forget anything she told you.”

 

“But Father, I—“

 

“No but’s, Rapunzel,” He said, “That’s all I have to say on the matter.”

 

He stands up and sweeps out of the room, leaving Rapunzel to hug her knees to stop herself from crying.

 

 

“C’mon, Raps,” Cassandra said, brushing out the princess’s long hair, “It’s not as bad as you think, I’m sure.”

 

She sniffled as Cass went to rub her shoulders, “I—I know…” She whined from behind her arms, “I know, I sh-shouldn’t be so upset. He was just t-t-trying to keep me sa-safe…” She gulped her tears down.

 

“He shouldn’t have yelled at you,” Cassandra said, softly.

 

She sniffed more trying to get herself under control, “He—he didn’t really,” She said, “I’m just…I couldn’t take it…I’ve always been weak and—“

 

“What?” Cassandra cut her off, “You’re kidding, right?” Her disbelief is what made Rapunzel finally look up. “Raps, you are like, the strongest person I know.”

 

Rapunzel sniffed, “You’re a way better fighter. Eugene is too. And all the guards and—“

 

“Hey, hey,” She said, trying to relax Rapunzel, “You’re way stronger than all of us. Maybe not physically, though I’ve seen you kick some serious butt,” Rapunzel giggled and Cassandra wiped a tear from her cheek, “But your heart? Managing to still be kind after everything you’ve gone through? That’s…” Cassandra realized too late that holding her like this was just a bit too perfect for a kiss. She let go, her hands dropping to her side, “That’s amazing.”

 

Rapunzel smiled, but she missed the contact from Cassandra holding her. “Thank you,” She said, “I just…I know others have gone through so much more than me, and—and I just feel so guilty for feeling bad. And then I feel even worse which makes me even MORE guilty, and…” She whimpers a little, tears dropping.

 

“Oh, Raps,” Cassandra said, kindly, “You’re spiraling dear.” Rapunzel nodded, recognizing the feeling in herself. “First of all: you can’t compare your pain to others. You can’t know how they’re feeling, and they can’t know how you are. So, right now, its best to just feel the feelings. Don’t try and hold them in, okay?”

 

She sniffs more, and Cassandra hands her a handkerchief. “But it feels so bad.”

 

Cassandra nods, “I know…I know…” Rapunzel reaches out for a hug, and Cassandra hesitates for only a moment before pulling her in tight. Rapunzel sobbed on Cassandra’s dress, and Cassandra had to chide herself for loving being this close to her. “Do you want me to run down Eugene? Bring him back here for you?”

 

Rapunzel shook her head, “No…he’s busy with…something…he didn’t tell me what it was…” Rapunzel lifted her head and looked into Cassandra’s eyes, not knowing how she was making the handmaiden blush, “You don’t think he’s doing something…bad? Do you?”

 

Cassandra thought back to her conversation the previous night with Eugene, “ _In two days, I’m going to propose to Rapunzel again.”_ “No sweetheart,” She said to Rapunzel, “For all his faults, and he has many, many, many, MANY faults, he truly does love you. And I’m sure he’ll tell you that himself…tomorrow…”

 

Rapunzel nodded, “Well…I’m sure he’s doing something important,” Rapunzel said, “It’s not worth worrying him.”

 

“Rapunzel, you are always worth it,” Cassandra said, giving her a squeeze, “That is something Eugene and I can agree on.”

 

Rapunzel smirked. The smile faded as she felt a thought in her mind, one that had been echoing in her brain since that morning.

 

Her silence was loud enough for Cassandra to know something was wrong, “Hey…Raps?” Rapunzel hummed in acknowledgement, “What’s goin’ on in that head of yours?”

 

Rapunzel sighed. “I just…talking to my father today…I just…” She muttered something too quiet for Cassandra to hear.

 

“Hmm?” Cassandra asked, “Can you say it just a little louder?”

 

Rapunzel flinched, and Cassandra instantly regretted asking her to say it again. “I feel like…sometimes he reminds me of my…my…of her.”

 

Cassandra raises an eyebrow. “Her? Who her?” Rapunzel flinched harder, tensing up in Cassandra’s arms, burying her head into Cassandra’s chest. She had never seen Rapunzel act like this, as she scrolled through every ‘her’ Rapunzel knew, until… “The witch?”

 

Rapunzel shuddered, and Cassandra held her tightly, “I try and forget her,” She said, “I try and put her out of my mind, but its like she’s always there.” Her voice rose in pitch with her tears and Cassandra held her as tight as she could, “I know she’s gone, and she’s not my mother but I just…I just…”

 

She faded out, crying more. “Oh sweetheart,” Cassandra said, pressing her cheek on Rapunzel’s head, “Oh, sweetheart, sweetheart. No one’s expecting you to just forget your whole childhood, sweetie,” Rapunzel kept crying, “What happened to you…it was awful. What she did was awful. No one expects you to just put that behind you.”

 

“I—“ She gulped on her own sobs, “I—know—but—I—“ She blew into the handkerchief again, “I—still—think—of—her,” she started hiccupping, and as sad as it was, Cassandra couldn’t help thinking it was adorable, “I—think—of—her—and—I—try” She swallowed, “I—try—to—hate—her—but—I—can’t—“

 

“Oh Rapunzel,” Cassandra said, “Oh, Rapunzel, oh sweet, sweet Rapunzel. It’s okay, it’s okay.”

 

“She—was—all—I—had—for—so—long—and…” She trailed off, “I feel—I feel so bad—thinking of my Father—being like her, but—“

 

“It’s okay,” Cassandra whispered, the most reassurance she could offer, “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

 

Rapunzel cried for a while longer as Cassandra held her. She cried until she felt she had no tears left, and Cassandra asked the guard to bring the water, which Rapunzel drank greedily. “I’m sorry,” Rapunzel said, once she’d composed herself more, “I shouldn’t have fallen apart like that.”

 

“Rapunzel, you don’t need to apologize,” Cassandra said, “I’m…I’m glad you trusted me by telling me.”

 

Rapunzel smiled, “Thank you,” She took a deep breath, “I feel…I feel safe with you.”

 

Cassandra smiled and held Rapunzel’s face. “Rapunzel, I will always be here for you.”

 

Rapunzel smiled brighter at her, and held Cassandra’s hand, enjoying the feeling of warmth and companionship…and a warm fluttering in her stomach…it felt like when Eugene would hold her like this… “Can we…talk about something else for a while?” Rapunzel asked.

 

Cassandra retracted her hand and Rapunzel missed it. “Sure thing, Raps,” Cassandra said, “Did you have something in mind?”

 

Rapunzel bit her lip. “How did you…” She cleared her throat, “How did you know…you liked…um…that you liked Lady Caine…”

 

Cassandra tensed slightly. “Well…she was beautiful, I could tell. And her smile was bright, and she was so full of energy…” Cassandra swallowed, “Sorry, I…I guess I have my own issues with uh…people I should hate…”

 

Rapunzel raised an eyebrow, “You don’t hate her?”

 

Cassandra sighed, “I guess I don’t. I can’t bring myself to blame her.” She shrugged, “I’m kinda…I have a soft spot for pretty girls.”

 

Rapunzel smiled sweetly. “And how…” she swallowed, trying to form words, “How did you know…you liked girls…”

 

Cassandra hesitated a moment, unsure of how to answer.

 

“I’m…I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,” Rapunzel said.

 

“Rapunzel, its okay,” She said, “I just…I don’t know, I guess. All my friends talked about the handsome knights, but…I always would look at the beautiful maidens.”

 

Rapunzel chuckled, unconsciously leaning in, “I see.”

 

“I guess its…its like Eugene said yesterday,” Cassandra said, her voice lowering as she leaned in as well, “Just like he loves you and you…you love him….I love…”

 

She trailed off as they both realized exactly how close to each other they were.

 

“Girls…” Cassandra finished.

 

Rapunzel smiled. “Those girls are lucky,” She said.

 

Cassandra smiled.

 

They both recognized the feeling within their chests. It was the feeling Cassandra had back when she was dating Agnes Caine. It was the feeling Rapunzel had when she looked at Eugene…she had never felt anything like that for anyone else, and never thought she would again, until right then.

 

“I, um…” Cassandra said, “I’ll go get you some more water.”

 

Rapunzel nodded hesitantly, “okay.”

 

Cassandra skittered off, and Rapunzel was left to hug her knees, less sad, but…definitely more confused than before.


	3. Spoilers for the end, Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eugene plans the perfect date for himself and Rapunzel, unaware of the inner turmoil she is going through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also I've included elements from the latest episode "Lance Strongbow" so, just so you're aware, they're in here.

Eugene returned the next morning in a humming mood, and it was freaking the heck out of the guards. “Good morning Pete, looking sharp! Hello, Stan! You get a new haircut? It is gorgeous! Heyy, Pauly, how’s the wife?”

Eugene’s heart did a jump at the word ‘wife.’ He was going to ask Rapunzel to marry him. He had fixed all the problems with the last time he had proposed. 

Last time, he had put Rapunzel on the spot, putting unnecessary pressure on her. This time it would be all about them, about their love for one another. He would dazzle her with his honesty, blind her with earnestness, overwhelm her with his love for her until she would HAVE to say yes. 

He strut straight up to Rapunzel’s room and knocked on the door, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, with hair to reach the floor, would you do me the honor of answering the door?” 

He was welcomed…with silence. He waited patiently, not letting his mood falter for even a moment. He was just about ready to knock a second time when the door opened slowly. “Eugene. You’re back.” Rapunzel smiled, though not with her usual full energy.

Eugene, still not deterred, swooped in for a kiss, “Still abed at this hour?” He said, “That’s good, it’s nice having a late morning for a change.”

She opened the door wider, letting him in. He carefully managed not to trip over her hair that was as long and flowing as ever. “Actually,” She said, “I didn’t manage to get much sleep last night.”

She sat on her bed and pulled out a brush to start de-tangling her hair. “Ahh,” Eugene said, “You missed having me around that much?”

She looked away, focusing on her hair, “Yeah…yeah, that’s it.”

Eugene sat beside her, reaching for the brush, “May I? Help, that is?” Rapunzel was confused, but handed over the brush, contenting herself to twiddling her fingers as he did his best, despite being less familiar with the process. “As it happens, I had trouble sleeping as well,” he said.

“Oh?”

Eugene swallowed, knowing the answer as to why would give away his plans, “Yeah. I just looked forward to seeing you so much.”

Rapunzel turned away, “You saw me yesterday.”

“But I always look forward to seeing you, Rapunzel,” Eugene said, trying to re-gain her gaze on himself. “Also, I had some things I wanted to do with you today, if you were up for it.”

“Like what?”

“It’s a surprise!” Eugene smiled. 

Rapunzel raised an eyebrow, “What kind of surprise?”

“If I told you, not a very good one.” Eugene said, chuckling. Rapunzel didn’t respond. “Oh, come on, not even a little laugh?”

“Sorry,” Rapunzel said, “I—uh—I’m just tired.”

Eugene hesitated for a moment, “We can…we can postpone plans for the day, if you’d like to just rest more.”

“Oh, no,” She said, “No, no, I’m fine. Why don’t we just braid my hair, and then we can go, okay?” 

Eugene kissed her temple, “Alright. You rest, I’ll handle these tangles.”

Rapunzel sighed, “Okay,” letting his brush strokes relax her. 

 

What Eugene didn’t know is that Rapunzel was being eaten alive by her own guilt. She had gone over the moment so many times in her head, and she had definitely wanted to kiss Cassandra. She might have been able to just bury that moment deep down, except…

Except she kinda still wanted to. But she wasn’t supposed to, she already HAD a true love, and it was Eugene. And…it couldn’t be true anyway, she wasn’t a lesbian like Cassandra. She definitely, 100% liked men. Or, well, she loved Eugene, anyway. And HE was a man, so…. She loved Eugene, that was without question. Except…didn’t being in love mean you only loved one person? So, she couldn’t love Eugene if she loved Cassandra…but she wasn’t sure she DID love Cassandra. Well, she did love Cassandra, but it wasn’t the same kind of love, was it? And…

She sighed. She was going in circles. She just needed to take a breath, not force it. Just…breath. 

Once her hair was all braided, Eugene led her down into town, holding her hand all the way. She wasn’t completely in the mood for shopping right now with all the thoughts flying around her head, but she was willing to humor him. 

“Come now, Princess,” He said, guiding her into the town square, “Careful, don’t want to get run over by a cart.”

She gave a small laugh. It wasn’t what he was hoping for, but he would take it.   
First stop was a food cart where they picked up delicious tasting sheep meat on a stick, munching on it as they walked down the streets. It instantly brightened Rapunzel’s mood as she enjoyed the savory sauces. Eugene laughed at her, before wiping some of the stray drops of sauce off her cheeks, replacing them with a kiss. 

Then, of course, there was window shopping. Rapunzel didn’t need for anything, what with living in the palace, but she liked to support local merchants. Plus, she got beautiful things out of it. 

Rapunzel’s favorite was a shop that sold hair clips, an item Rapunzel always needed. “This one, I think,” Eugene said, plucking a golden sun clip, identical to Corona’s symbol, and placing it in her hair. 

Rapunzel smiled, absentmindedly touching it. 

“20 gold.” The old merchant woman said. 

“What!” Eugene exclaimed, “20 gold! You’d be lucky to get 5 silvers for this!” 

“Eugene,” Rapunzel was about to chastise. She had the money, and the merchant woman KNEW they had the money, but Eugene put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from saying any more. 

“Shh, honey, I got this.” He stood tall in front of the woman, “You know, I’m in a generous mood. I’d be willing to purchase it for…10 silver.”

“20 gold,” she repeated in the exact same monotone. 

Eugene hunched slightly defeated, “Now, come on, I think you’re supposed to lower your total for this to work out.”

“20 gold.”

Rapunzel couldn’t help but chuckle at his defeat in the face of the old woman. Eugene sighed dramatically. “How about 19 gold?”

“25 gold.”

“Now that’s just rude—“ Eugene said, beginning a tirade that would never finish as Rapunzel handed the 25 gold over to the woman and they stepped out. 

Eugene wasn’t too put out, though, as he had gotten what he truly wanted, a true bright smile from Rapunzel. 

Eugene took her by the hand and dragged her to the town square. She wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing until he brought her up to a band of street musicians and handed them a generous fistful of gold. “Maestros, play something…lively. 

The musicians gave him a confused look, but sighing, switched their song to a toe-tapping dance song. 

Eugene grabbed both of Rapunzel’s hands, pulling her into the center of the square. “Eugene!” Rapunzel playfully protested as he put a hand on her waist, “What are you doing?”

“I would have thought that was obvious,” He said, “I am dancing with a beautiful princess! Don’t you remember doing this when we first arrived in the city?”

“Eugene,” she said, reluctantly following his movements as he pulled her to the rhythm, “There was a FESTIVAL at that time. There isn’t anymore, and we’re getting looks.”

“Let them look,” He said, “I feel festive enough for everyone here!”

She laughed at that, and soon enough got pulled into enjoying the dance as well. A few of the townspeople stopped to dance with them, laughing and jumping and simply having a good time. 

Rapunzel was so happy she forgot how upset she’d been earlier. What had she been thinking? Of course she loved Eugene, who always knew how to make her happy, who was there for her and kissed her and revolved around her making her feel like the sun itself. And he himself was full of laughter and humor and a brash daring Rapunzel admired.

An image of Cassandra, equally, though differently, brash and daring floated through her mind, but she quickly ignored it, continuing to dance. 

After they were all danced out the musicians thanked them for bringing in business. They went to rest and get food at a lovely little food shop, having fun eating outside the palace kitchens for once. “Today was lovely, Eugene,” Rapunzel said, “But…I do have a few questions.”

“Fire away,” he told her. 

“Okay…well, I can’t quite figure out what the occasion is for having all this fun,” Rapunzel said. 

He smirked, “Ah, spoilers for the end, Princess.”

She huffed, and he just smiled wider, loving to tease her. “Okay, then,” She said, “You still haven’t told me where you were yesterday.”

“Ah,” He said, “Right. I was with my old buddy Lance.”

“Oh?” She said, “What’s he up to these days?”

“Oh, uh,” He said, “The usual…” Rapunzel looked over at him disapprovingly, “I didn’t join him! I just had to collect some things.”

“What things?” Rapunzel asked. 

He smirked at her again, “Spoilers for the end, Princess.”

Rapunzel huffed again.

When they were all finished with dinner, Eugene guided her out to the lake. Rapunzel guessed that was their next step, as everything else seemed to be recreating her 18th birthday. 

Eugene helped her onto the boat and started rowing as the sun set over the horizon, painting the sky in beautiful colors. Rapunzel looked up at them. She had painted sunrises before, but they still held her attention. 

“Hey,” he said, “Careful there. Swimming is not on my to-do list for today.”

Sighing overdramatically she slid into a more stable position in the boat. “What is on your to-do list for today?” 

He bit his lip, actually looking nervous. “I wanted to talk to you,” he said.

Rapunzel nodded, “What did you want to talk about?”

He swallowed, “About…where I went yesterday.”

She cocked her head at him, confused, but waiting. 

He took a deep sigh, preparing himself, “Do you remember that story Lance told you that time? About the woman who worked at the orphanage we stayed in, who took us in and treated us like we were her own children?”

Rapunzel nodded, “I thought that was a cover-up for a job the two of you were pulling behind my back.”

Eugene chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck, “Well…it was, but like all great lies, it had a hint of truth to it.” He took a deep breath, “There was a woman like that. She was the one who taught me to read, who really looked out for me. Even when she was too old to work, she checked in on us, and when she died…that’s when Lance and I called it quits and left.” He took a deep breath, Rapunzel listening with rapt attention. “She couldn’t ever afford a fancy ring like in Lance’s story, but…she had this old heirloom she left to Lance and I.”

He pulled out of his pocket an old pocket watch. It was old and scratched, but clearly polished and well cared for. It ticked and apparently still worked. He handed it over to Rapunzel, “It’s beautiful,” she said, admiring it. 

“Old Nanny said it was symbolic,” Eugene said, admiring the watch himself, “It represents the most valuable thing we have, more than money, more than land or jewels or anything…it was time. She warned us to spend our time wisely. We promptly ignored her, of course.” Eugene said, earning a chuckle from Rapunzel. “But eventually I figured out what she meant.” 

He reached forward, cupping her hands in his. “I told you a while ago, you were my dream. You ARE my dream. And…I want to spend all of time…for the rest of my life with you. And, well…I’m hoping you feel the same.”

Rapunzel felt herself tense up. She didn’t like where this was going.

“Rapunzel, you are the only one I have ever truly loved,” Eugene continued, “I can think of no one else I want by my side. And I want the both of us to take on life together, just the two of us.”

All of the guilt she felt the previous night washed over her tenfold. 

“Rapunzel?” he asked, trying to gage her response, “I…I’m trying to say, I would like to marry you, if you’d have me.”

Rapunzel felt a tear drop down her face. He loved her so much…but she couldn’t give him the same devotion, the same loyalty that he’d given her…maybe she could fake it, but she couldn’t help it. It was overwhelming her already.

“Uhh…Rapunzel?” Eugene said, “Are you…crying tears of joy?” He asked reluctantly.

She simply sobbed more. 

“H-hey,” Eugene said, holding her hands tighter. She pulled away, “Hey, what’s wrong? Talk to me. I—I can get you a ring, if you’d rather, I—“

“No,” She said, “No, you’re…you’re perfect. I just…I can’t…”

Rapunzel could practically see Eugene’s heart shatter. He retracted his hands, sitting back on the boat. “…Oh…” he said, slowly slumping. 

“No, oh, Eugene,” Rapunzel said, “No, I—I love you, I just—“

“You don’t love me enough to marry me?” He suggested.

“No!” She protested, “I don’t…I don’t think that’s it…I just…I’m so confused…”

Eugene swallowed, “Confused? Confused by what?” 

She tried to speak a couple of times, ending up whimpering instead. “I just…it was just a moment, I don’t know…just a feeling…”

“What kind of feeling?” he said, his voice accusing. She flinched and he realized his mistake. “I’m sorry…I…”

“I…felt something…” she said, fiddling with her braid, “Last night, I…” She swallowed, not sure how to continue. 

Eugene frowned, genuinely confused now. “Rapunzel…what happened?”

She hugged her knees to herself, “Can…can we get out of this boat?”

Eugene opened his mouth to protest, but sighed and guided the boat back to the dock. He didn’t help her get out like he usually did. 

She whimpered again, trying to stifle her tears as she sat on the dock, her long braid hovering just above the water. 

Eugene sat beside her, on the edge of speaking, but holding himself back to let her talk first. “I…It was…I was with Cassandra…” She said, “And I just…I felt like…” The tears came again and she couldn’t get it out. 

He heard the unsaid words. “You…you had feelings for Cassandra?” She flinched and nodded. He leaned back against the dock post, “Its…its okay. It was just a moment, like you said.”

“Yeah…” Rapunzel managed. 

“You were just confused…you probably got caught up, and we were talking about lesbians the other day…Rapunzel, you’re…you’re probably just making a big deal of this.”

His words hurt. Rapunzel hugged her braid tighter. “I don’t think so…”

“Come on, Rapunzel!” Eugene said, “It’s not like you love Cassandra!”

She flinched hugging herself tighter. 

Dawning finally passed over Eugene. “You…you’re in love with Cassandra?”

“I don’t know,” she said, her voice muffled by her arms. “I don’t know anything anymore…”

Eugene looked off into the distance, holding a hand over his heart like he’d been mortally wounded. He swallowed several times, still processing the new information. “Did she make a move on you?”

“What?” Rapunzel asked.

“She promised she wouldn’t do this…” he said, his voice full of poison. 

“What are you talking about?” Rapunzel said, confused.

He stood up pacing in anger, “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted her! And here I was thinking I was being kind!” 

“Eugene…” Rapunzel said in her softest voice, “Please…please calm down…”

“She’s trying to steal my girlfriend from me!” he said mostly to himself. 

“Eugene,” Rapunzel whispered, “I…I’m sorry.”

He turned to her again, kneeling down to her level and grabbing her shoulders. She gasped and tried to pull away, “Tell me you love me,” He demanded of her.

“Eugene!” She protested.

“Please, please tell me you love me,” he blabbered, tears in his eyes.

“Come now, Rapunzel dear,” Mother Gothel’s voice came from the grave, “Tell me you love me.”

Without thinking, Rapunzel punched Eugene in the jaw. He instantly recoiled letting go and falling back. 

He lay still for a moment. “Eugene…?” Rapunzel asked tentatively.

He slowly sat up, refusing to look at her. She thought she saw tears on her cheeks. “I hope…” he said slowly, “I hope…that you’ll be happy.” He stood up and marched down the docks, out of sight, leaving a tear-y Rapunzel behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry I have Rapunzel cry so much....it'll be okay Rapunzel dear.


	4. I’m gonna fill up the hole in my heart with chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eugene goes to his friends for comfort. Rapunzel confides in Cassandra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit shorter than usual, but i covered a bit.

Eugene found himself at the Snuggly Duckling. He hadn’t meant to wander all the way out there, and truthfully he didn’t really even remember most of the walk. He was aimless and hopeless and just…a shell. 

“Rider,” Hookhands said, “Hey, how are ya?”

Eugene looked up, finally realizing where he was. “Oh…hi, Hookhands.”

Hookhands frowned at him. “I come back from months on tour, and all you can say is ‘hi?’ What gives?”

“I…” Eugene swallowed, not wanting to say it, not wanting for it to be true… “Um…Rapunzel…Rapunzel and I broke up…”

As he got the words out, tears welled up in his eyes. The reality of it came crashing down, and he was finally convinced this wasn’t some terrible nightmare. 

Hookhands walked up to him, hooking the front of Eugene’s shirt and pulling him out of his tears for a moment to fear for his life. “Rider, I swear, if you did anything to hurt that girl…”

“I didn’t! I wouldn’t!” Eugene said, flailing his arms. “I…I don’t think so, anyway. She just…” He swallowed, “She loves someone else.” 

Hookhands lowered him and softened. “Oh…sorry, Rider.”

“Geez, I thought you were my friend,” Eugene said, adjusting his shirt. 

“I am,” he said, “I just like Rapunzel more.”

Eugene grimaced at him, but was too broken inside to be mad. “Me too…” he said pathetically, letting his tears fall. 

Big Nose, Vladimir, and Shorty all came up to pat him on the back for sympathy. Hookhands sighed, “Come here, Rider,” He finally said, “I know exactly what you need.”

 

Pete the guard had no idea what to do when he found a crying princess, so he quickly ushered her to her room and went to get Cassandra. 

Cassandra had thought this was some cruel joke on her, at first. According to Eugene, he and Rapunzel should be engaged by this point. “Rapunzel?” She asked, walking into the bedroom. 

Rapunzel didn’t answer. She sat on the windowsill, her long hair wavy from coming out of its braid. She was clutching two things in her hand. She wasn’t crying anymore, but Cassandra could tell she had been. 

Cassandra approached slowly. Rapunzel looked up to see who it was before hanging her head and looking back out to the night sky.

Rapunzel came up, leaning against the sill. “Hey,” she said pushing Rapunzel’s hair behind her ear, “do you wanna talk?”

Rapunzel opened her mouth three times before she said, “Do you think…do you think there’s a certain age where kids learn how to be satisfied?” 

Cassandra frowned, “What do you mean?” 

Rapunzel paused again, looking up at the sky where the stars were starting to shine through for the night. “I spent my whole life convinced all I wanted was to see the floating lights. I just…I wanted to see them once up close, and then I could be happy.” Rapunzel sniffed, “And then I did…and I wanted more things. I wanted to be free of my moth—of the witch. I wanted to come back and live in the palace. I wanted...”

Rapunzel trailed off, clutching her hands tighter. “Anyway…I got that all too. Why do I want more?”

Cassandra reached down to cup Rapunzel’s hands. “Its natural to want things, sweetheart. It’s natural to try and reach for something better.” 

Rapunzel bit her lip. “It’s selfish…”

“No sweetie,” Cassandra held her hand tighter, “No, no, not at all.” 

Rapunzel sniffed again, but it seemed she had no more tears to cry. She opened her hands, showing a golden sun hair clip and an old watch. Cassandra looked at them. “Did Eugene give you these?” Rapunzel nodded, “Did he try to pressure you into marrying him?”

“No!” Rapunzel lifted her head, finally, and Cassandra fell into those big green eyes. “No, not at all…he…he was perfect. I was the problem. I should be satisfied…should be happy…why aren’t I happy?”

Cassandra picked the two items out of Rapunzel’s hands, putting them on a shelf behind her. “If he really loves you, he’ll wait until you’re ready.” 

Rapunzel curled and uncurled her hands, now empty of the gifts. “I don’t think time will fix this…” She said quietly. “I want…I want more…I shouldn’t, but I do.”

“What happened, Rapunzel?” Cassandra said, lifting Rapunzel’s chin so she could see into her eyes again, “What happened that was so bad?”

Rapunzel stared back at Cassandra just a moment longer. “He…” She choked on her own words, “He proposed…and I wanted to say yes, but…I couldn’t.” Cassandra tilted her head at that. “I said something…I told him something…oh god, I hurt him so bad, I shouldn’t have said anything, I should have just kept it to myself.”

“What is it, dear?” Cassandra said, “What did you say?”

“I…I told him I wanted…I wanted…” her voice got quieter with each word.

“What?” Cassandra asked, leaning forward to hear better, “What do you want?”

Rapunzel looked up again and Cassandra realized they were nose to nose. She put so much energy into not leaning down to kiss the princess that she didn’t notice for half a moment when Rapunzel leaned up to connect their lips herself. 

It took another full moment before Cassandra realized this was really happening and she wasn’t just imagining it. Another moment to realize Rapunzel was the one who had prompted it. Cassandra needed no more moments, she surged forward, wrapping her arms full of Rapunzel, weaving her fingers through the thick blonde hair. 

Rapunzel squeaked at the fervent respond, but did not pull away. Hesitantly she reached up, pulling Cassandra toward her until Cassandra was pushing Rapunzel into the side of the window instead, their chests squished together.

Cassandra did not think, could not think. She was never one to question a gift that had been given, and she would not question this now. She appreciated every soft edge, every smooth plane of skin and silk she found on Rapunzel, holding her with every intention of never letting go.

The kiss melted into something sweeter, the both of them taking breaths, but neither patient enough to stay separated for long, especially for something as trivial as air. 

“No!” Rapunzel pulled away, or rather pushed away as she was so close to the window she had no room to pull to. 

Cassandra backed up a whole step, blinking as she came out of the trance that was kissing a beautiful girl. “Uh...” she said, trying to form words, “I…I’m sorry.”

“No…” Rapunzel said softer, “No, I’m sorry, I just…I can’t…” She put her fingers to her lips. “I want to, but I can’t. I…I still love him, Cas…”

Cassandra had only ever once felt like this, dropping from the top of the world all the way to heartbreak in the space of a few moments. The last time, Lady Caine had run off with a hoard of henchmen. This time, it was just Rapunzel, looking so sincerely sorry, Cassandra couldn’t even be the slightest bet mad at her. “I understand.”

She backed away another step. Rapunzel hugged herself, looking lost and confused. Cassandra wanted to hold her close, reassure her everything would be okay…but she knew that would only make it worse. “I’ll go,” Cassandra said, backing to the door, “I’ll…I’ll fix this.”

“Wait—“ Rapunzel said, but Cassandra was already out the door. Rapunzel was left alone once again. 

 

“Maui! I figured it out!” Shorty said, moving the mouth of the girl puppet, “Te’ka is Tefiti! You have to stop fighting her so I can giver her the heart!”

“Are you telling me we’ve been trying to keep the heart away from Te’ka this whole time for nothing?” Shorty said in a deeper voice, moving the boy puppet’s mouth now, “Well, hurry up then!”

“Part for me, ocean!” Shorty’s voice for Moana was getting higher and higher, to the point it was squeaking. 

Shorty put down the puppet for Maui as he went searching for the ocean puppet among his possessions.

“This is the perfect princess show,” Eugene said, leaning back in his seat. “No mushy gushy romance. Just battling giant crabs and coconuts.”

“Oh, Moana isn’t a princess,” Big Nose corrected beside him, “She’s the daughter of the chief.”

“If she sings and has an animal companion, she’s a princess.” Eugene said, sourly as he stuffed a fistful of chocolate cake into his mouth. 

Hookhands flinched in disgust at the site of the unsanitary way of eating. “Um…” he said, “Maybe take it easy on the sweets there, Rider?”

“No,” Eugene said, clutching the sweets closer as he spoke through a mouthful of cake, “Is my sweets. I’m gonna fill up the hole in my heart with chocolate.”

Big Nose patted his arm. “It’s a hard thing, losing the love of your life. Why, I just can’t imagine what I’d do without my—“

Eugene groaned through the cake, cutting him off. He at least swallowed before he said, “Nobody cares about your love life, Big Nose.”

Big Nose gaped, confounded at the very idea of someone not wanting to hear about his love. Hookhands gave him a sympathetic look before taking over caring for him, “It’s alright, Rider. Have you given any thought as to what you’ll do now?” Eugene raised an eyebrow at him, “With you getting kicked out of the castle and everything.”

Eugene blinked, “Oh my god, I didn’t even think of that!” He clutched his head in his hands, “Oh god, all my stuff’s back in my room…I…I think they’ll let me keep my job…maybe…I don’t know…oh god.”

Hookhands patted Eugene’s back faster, trying to comfort him harder.

“FITZHERBERT!” The doors slammed open, revealing a very, very angry Cassandra. 

Eugene groaned in irritation. “What is this?” He said, “She breaks my heart and then you come in to stab me and finish the job?”

“I came to pluck you out of this godforsaken bar, you absolute buttwaffle!”

“Hey,” Hookhands said, “Say whatever you want about him, but this is a nice bar!”

“Hey!” Eugene protested, “Some friend you are!”

“Um...” Shorty said, having finally found the ocean puppet, “Should I continue, or—“

“You know, for all your flaws, Eugene,” Cassandra said, “But I never thought you’d abandon Rapunzel.”

“Abandon?!” Eugene shot back, standing up to stare her down. Crumbs dripped down his front and onto the floor, “How dare you! Especially as I find out YOU were making moves behind my back!” 

“What?” She spat at him, “I would never!”

Eugene snarled, “Oh please, like you weren’t just making out with my girlfriend!” Cassandra gaped at him in surprise. “Oh my god you WERE, weren’t you?”

“It’s not as simple as that!” Cassandra snapped, “Look, for some reason I CANNOT comprehend, that girl loves you so you better pull your damn self together!”

“Oh yeah, if she loves me so much, why did she tell me she has feelings for you?”

“Because she just told me she couldn’t be with me because she has feelings for YOU!”

The both paused a moment, processing what they had each said.

The broke at the same time shouting into each other’s faces, “What did she say?!”

 

“Looks like its just you and me again, Pasqual,” Rapunzel said, cuddling the little lizard to her chest. “Eugene hates me…Cassandra hates me…My father…my father…” She trailed off. Her father was…complicated. Honestly the entire idea of a father was a foreign one to Rapunzel at first. He might not hate her, but he certainly didn’t like any of Rapunzel’s ideas or the things she said.

“All I have left here is my mother,” Rapunzel said, “And it’s really just a matter of time before I do something to make her hate me too…” Pasqual put a tiny foot an her chest, nuzzling into her.

Rapunzel cuddled him, glad to have someone who loved her, and paced around her room. She felt trapped here, just as she had back in her old tower. Everything was just…suffocating.

She looked down at the journal her mother had given her. A journal to hold her adventures…

She looked out the window again. “If no one here loves me anymore…than no one is holding me here,” She said, “I’ll probably end up screwing it all up, anyway.” There were plans in place for someone else to take over the throne in her stead, as it had been believed Rapunzel would never return for so long. No one here needed her. No one would really miss her…

She made up her mind, grabbing a traveling cloak and making a little pouch for Pasqual to sit in. “Come on, buddy,” She said, “Lets go.”

She expertly hooked her hair on the bar just outside her window. She gave it an experimental tug, making sure it would hold her wait, before she jumped, the wind blowing in her face. She quickly scaled down to the castle grounds, “Okay,” She said, bundling up her hair and facing out into the distance. “Here I go,” and started walking out down the dirt road.

 

What she didn’t know was that a few miles down that road was a campfire. A campfire with men sitting around it. “We have orders,” The head man said, “The boss wants his daughter broken out of the palace jail.”

The other men all nodded, “Is there pay?” Another man piped up.

The head man grinned, a golden tooth glimmering in his mouth, “It always pays to be on the side of Mr. Caine.”


	5. What's that Pasqual? Rapunzel fell down a well?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Cassandra and Eugene talk things out, Rapunzel meets some interesting new people

“So, what’s the plan?” One of the mercenaries with an eyepatch said, turning to the leader with a golden tooth. 

“It’s simple,” Gold Tooth said, “We sneak into the palace, break into the dungeon, smuggle Lady Caine out, and make a break for it into the woods.”

The mercenaries turned to each other in confusion. “Yeah, we knew that,” the mercenary with the scar on his chin said, “We were kind of wondering how exactly we plan on doing that?”

Gold Tooth looked between them all. Awkwardly clearing his throat, he said, “We sneak into the palace, break into the dungeon—“

The mercenaries all groaned in disbelief. “You don’t have a PLAN?” said the man with a tattoo of a wolf on his cheek. 

“Hey!” Gold Tooth protested, “I got you all here first, didn’t I? Now we just have to have a quick brainstorming session to consider our options.”

“You don’t have an inside at the palace?” Eyepatch asked, “Blueprints? Tools? Anything?” 

“Well…” Gold Tooth said, sweating, “I mean, I’ve been there before. I once raided the palace with Lady Caine herself.”

“Well, how’d you get in that time?” Tattoo face asked. 

“Uh…” He said, “Lady Caine’s girlfriend was a part of the guard…”

“Well, maybe we can work with her again,” a mercenary with a big hoop earring said. 

Gold Tooth rubbed the back of his neck, “She kinda got fired…” The mercenaries all groaned again, “Well, what do you want from me! Come on, surely you all have some ideas!” 

“Yeah,” Scar chin said, “Our idea is to leave this ill-conceived plan.”

“What do you mean, come on!” Gold Tooth protested as the mercenaries got up, collecting their gear, “This is work for Mr. Caine, remember.”

“And when Mr. Caine comes to us with a plan, we’ll sign up,” Hoop Earring said, “But you can’t just expect a perfectly good plan to just appear out of nowhere—“

“Excuse me?”

The mercenaries all jumped to see a beautiful woman carrying a green lizard who said, “I kinda forgot to gather provisions, and was wondering if you had any food you could spare?”

They weren’t so much focused on what she said, though. They were far more interested in the long length of golden hair haphazardly coiled around her arm and dragged behind her.

It took a moments pause before one of them finally said, “It’s the Princess…” Eyepatch muttered…”

The men blocked Rapunzel’s path crowding around her. “Uh, gentleman?” She asked, “If you don’t have anything, that’s really alright. I think there’s a tavern down the road, I’ll just go there.”

The men kept moving forward, all with devious intentions. “Oh, its alright,” Gold Tooth said, “We’ll help you!”

Scar Chin grabbed for Rapunzel’s arm, but she recoiled from them, taking down her hair and holding it like a whip. “Now, come on, men. I know you don’t want to do anything rash.” She backed up into Hoop Earring, who snarled as he held her shoulders. She whipped him back with a strand. “You’re better than this! Don’t any of you have a dream?”

“Oh, we have a dream,” Gold Tooth said, “And you’re going to help us achieve it.” 

The men lurched forward, and Rapunzel fought them back, poor Pasqual gripping as tightly as he could onto her dress. She lasso’d Tattoo face and knocked him into Scar Chin, but then Eyepatch took advantage of her weakened defense, pinning her arms to the side, while Tattoo Face grabbed hold of her hair, pulling her forward and onto the ground.

Pasqual was thrown off of Rapunzel’s shoulders and scampered back down the path. Hoop Earring tried to jump after him, but he dodged and kept running. “Go Pasqual!” Rapunzel cried, “Get help!”

“Ah, let him go,” Gold tooth said, admiring Rapunzel’s hair, “There are rumors, you know, about this hair.” He took out a knife and slashed at the strands, only for the knife to break in his hands, “It looks like they were true.” He smiled at the other mercenaries, “Men, I have a plan.” 

 

“Wait,” Cassandra said, “Rapunzel…Rapunzel told you she has feelings for me…”

“Yeah,” Eugene said, “But apparently she told YOU she still loves me.”

“Rapunzel wouldn’t lie…” Cassandra said, “So…what could this mean?”

Hookhands rolled his eyes at them. “Are you both being intentionally dense?”

Cassandra and Eugene raised an eyebrow at him. “What do you mean?” Cassandra asked.

Hookhands sighed, “Have you even considered that she loves you BOTH?”

Eugene and Cassandra looked at each other, processing the thought. “Both?” Eugene asked. 

“Yeah, both,” Hookhands said, “Just ‘cause she might love the other doesn’t mean she loves you any less.”

Eugene and Cassandra blinked, never having considered this as a possibility. “She…” Cassandra said, “She loves us both?”

“Seems like it,” Hookhands said, “You just have to decide if you can share.”

Eugene leaned back, thoughts washing over him in waves, but all he managed to say was “Share?”

“Have you two just turned into parrots or something?” Hookhands said, “If so, let me know. I can put you on my shoulders and sell tickets at my piano shows.”

He wandered off, leaving Eugene and Cassandra alone at a table, awkwardly not making eye contact. “So…” Eugene said, “What do we do?” 

Cassandra takes a deep sigh. “Well, I see two options,” She said, “One, we force Rapunzel to choose one of us, or neither of us. We respect her choice, even if we don’t like it.” She swallows, “She’ll probably be hurt at the choice itself, and I think we’ll both be hurt in the process too, no matter the result, but it could lead to happiness in the future.”

Eugene nodded, “And…option two?”

Cassandra swallowed, “The other option…is we do what Hookhands suggested. We…learn to share.”

Eugene sighed, “How would that even work? What, we each get to date her every other day?”

“I don’t know,” Cassandra said, tired.

“And besides, what about the two of us?” Eugene said, “Would we have to date too? We’ve never gotten along before, and no offense, you’re not really my type.” 

“YOUR type?” Cassandra said, “I’m a lesbian, Eugene, you’re the exact opposite of my type.”

“It just…it sounds complicated…” Eugene said, slumping in his chair.

“Yeah, it does,” Cassandra said. “But, I suppose we have to ask ourselves, is she worth figuring it all out?”

Eugene looked up and met her eyes. They didn’t say anything, but they both knew the answer. They loved Rapunzel, of that there was no doubt, and never would be. To them, at least, Rapunzel was worth everything. 

They were interrupted as the door burst open but no one came through. Or, it didn’t seem that anyone had come through. The patrons of the tavern frowned, confused. 

They all leapt as a little green lizard jumped up on Eugene and Cassandra’s table. “Pasqual?” Eugene said, surprised.

“Where’s Rapunzel,” Cassandra said, turning as though Rapunzel would walk through the door. Eugene instantly realized the implications of the question. 

Pasqual started squeaking at them. “What’s that, Pasqual?” Eugene asked, “Rapunzel fell down a well?”

The chameleon facepalmed. Cassandra picked him up. “Can you show us where she is?” 

Pasqual gave a confident nod. 

 

Cassandra and Eugene ran down the dirt road, Pasqual cradled in Eugene’s hand, and pointing down the path. “I can’t believe we’re taking directions from a frog,” Cassandra said. 

“Stick around, Cas,” Eugene said, “Strange things happen all the time.”

“Eugene,”

“Swordfighting a horse with a pan, escaping prison via catapult,”

“Eugene!”

“Not to mention just the magic hair in general, I mean, what? How does it never get dirty?”

“EUGENE!” Cassandra grabbed his mouth to silence him and pulled him to the side of the road, hidden behind a bush. 

Eugene licked her hand, forcing her to release him. “What are you do—“

“Shh,” Cassandra hissed. She kept her eyes focused down the road. 

A moment later, Eugene saw what had caught her attention, a brigand of mercenaries marched openly down the road, an odd thing for criminals to be doing as a whole, but even more odd was the woman they were frogmarching in front of them.

Rapunzel was tied up with her own hair, a few strands even lodged in her mouth to act as a gag. Behind her, a man with an eyepatch held her shoulders, pushing her forward, while a man with a scar on his chin held the remaining pile of hair that trailed behind her. Rapunzel glared at her captors

Cassandra snarled, regretting she didn’t have a sword. She crouched up, ready to leap at the men as they passed, but this time Eugene was the one to pull her down, “Wait,” he whispered.

“Did you hear something?” the man with a tattoo on his face asked. 

“Probably an animal,” The one with the gold tooth said. 

Cassandra struggled in Eugene’s arms, trying to break out, but he held her steady. “They outnumber us, and we’re both unarmed,” Eugene whispered to her. “By the time we get to her they could kill her.”

“They’d never hurt the princess,” Cassandra whispered back. 

“Which one of us has the criminal backstory?” Eugene asked, “I’m not betting Rapunzel’s life on it.”

Cassandra pursed her lips, glaring at the mercenaries as they walked by, back towards the castle. “Well?” She asked once they were out of hearing range, “What do we do now?” 

“Tail them,” Eugene said, “Then, make a plan.

“Your plan is to make a plan?!” Cassandra demanded.

Eugene popped out of the bushes to chase after them, “It’s a plan that’s always worked before!

Cassandra rolled her eyes, getting up to follow him.


	6. It really is a small world after all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gold Tooth leads his merry band of mercenaries to try and free Lady Caine, while Eugene and Rapunzel work to rescue her

The merry band stuck close together, warding off the armed guards with the silent promise of what would happen to the princess if anything happened. 

Tattoo face instantly started giggling as they made their way into the palace itself, stuffing his bag full of candlesticks and other precious expensive items they passed. “Whoo! Forget the prisoner, we can get twice what Mr. Caine promised just taking from the castle!”

“Twice?” Scar chin said, “We could have far more than that!” 

“Focus, people,” Gold Tooth said, “You might be rich, but you’ll live a life on the run if Mr. Caine doesn’t get his daughter back.”

Hoop earring scoffed, “We can just pay off anyone he sends after us. Come on, let’s grab everything we can.”

Hoop earring was about to scamper off when Gold Tooth put a hand on his shoulder. “No, no, no! We have to stick close to the princess, or the guards will pick us up one by one. And the princess is coming with me to the dungeons, so—“

“Actually,” Eye patch said, “The princess is going wherever I go.” He tapped the knife on Rapunzel’s throat, “And I’m with them.” 

The group started pulling Rapunzel down the hall to find more treasures, but Gold Tooth reached, grabbing Rapunzel’s hair and pulling her back. She screamed through her gag at the pain. “I have a job to do here,” Gold Tooth said, “And I will be fulfilling it. You can grab those trinkets later.”

“We don’t have enough time to grab everything AND the girl. Those guards are still out there and I don’t want to be here a minute longer than I have to!” Scar chin said.

Eyepatch pulled Rapunzel back to his side. Rapunzel screamed through her gag again, chastising the criminals incomprehensively. 

“She’s going with me!”

“Us!”

“Me!”

“Us!”

A frying pan fell on Eyepatch’s head. 

In his surprise, the knife fell away. Rapunzel acted on instinct, dropping to the ground to grab the dropped frying pan. Her mobility was limited but she grabbed the handle and was able to point it threateningly at the mercenaries.

The mercenaries, however, were far more concerned with the two people rapelling from the roof. “Ha HA!” Eugene said, landing with a sword out, “Now that’s more like it! Come on, Cassie!” 

Cassandra drew her own sword, “Under no circumstances are you to call me Cassie!” 

They both engaged the mercenaries, beating them back before they had time to draw their own weapons. It was still 2 against many, though, so they eventually lost their advantage. Cassandra and Eugene fought, back to back, blocking off attackers. With their numbers, there was no way they’d win.

But then again they weren’t trying to win. 

“DAD! NOW!” Cassandra shouted. The doors burst open and the palace guards came streaming in. 

It took exactly 1 second for all the mercenaries they were no longer holding onto the princess to use as a shield, and so scattered in various directions. 

Eugene sighed in relief. “Aha. The plan worked perfectl—“

He was cut off at the sound of banging. Eugene and Cassandra turned to see Gold Tooth still had hold of Rapunzel’s hair and was dragging her down the hallway. Rapunzel banged her pot on the floor trying to get their attention. “Rapunzel!” Eugene and Cassandra both shouted, chasing after them.

 

Gold Tooth spooled Rapunzel’s hair as he ran, pulling her up to grab her around the waist and carry her. She tried hitting him with her pan, but it fell out of her grasp. Unable to break her bonds, she tried using her tongue to push the hair gagging her over her chin. 

She was about halfway there when Gold Tooth pulled her into the dungeons. 

The guard jumped up, drawing his sword. “Ah, ah, ah,” Gold Tooth said, holding around Rapunzel’s neck, “Drop your keys and go upstairs, or the princess gets her pretty little neck snapped.

The guard, wracked with indecision, backed away from Gold Tooth down the cells. As he backed up, panicked, a foot jutted out from the bars of one of the cells and he tripped. The foot then jutted out a few bars down, knocking him on the head and rendering him unconscious. 

The foot disappeared and Gold Tooth dragged Rapunzel over to see the prisoner. “Gold Tooth,” Lady Caine said, “I should have known my father would be sending you.”

“Of course, my lady,” He said, dropping the bound Rapunzel on the ground and rifling through the guard’s belt for the key.

“And you brought me a gift!” Lady Caine said, looking down at Rapunzel, “All wrapped up and everything. How sweet.”

“I thought we could use her to get out of here. Then I’m sure your father can think of about a dozen uses for her.” Gold Tooth said, trying out different keys to find the right one.

Lady Caine hummed, “I’m sure he can.”

Rapunzel finally got her hair out of her mouth. “Agnes. Please. You don’t have to do this.”

Lady Caine smirked, “I see Eugene does remember me after all. What’d he say, all good things, I hope?” She chuckled like it was a joke.

“Cassandra too,” Rapunzel said. She saw the smile drop from Lady Caine’s face. “Two people who knew you before you got involved in all this. Two people who cared for you. And I know…I know it’s hard, but you can change! You can still do something more with your life than being a criminal.”

Lady Caine thought for a moment, “I could, I suppose,” She said, “But why would I want to?”

“You could be anything,” Rapunzel said, “Cassandra says…says she doesn’t blame you. I think its because she knew you weren’t always like…like this. Eugene knew too, he told me all about the little girl who wanted to be a hero. I’d help you, you know I would. You wouldn’t have to risk your life or imprisonment or anything.”

Lady Caine sneered, “You? Help me? What have you ever done but take from me?”

“I haven’t taken,” Rapunzel said back to her, “But you’re right, I benefit from a lot…a lot more than I deserve, maybe. But I’m willing to use that to help you. Together, we can make sure no little girl has to go through what either of us lived through. But you can’t run back to your father now. It’ll only start you over on this cycle again.”

Lady Caine was silent, looking down at Rapunzel, her expression unreadable. 

Gold Tooth finally turned the right key and opened Lady Caine’s cell. She stepped out, grabbing Rapunzel by her hair and pulling her up to her feet. 

“Agnes, stop!” They turned to see Eugene and Cassandra had caught up with them, swords drawn and pointed at Lady Caine.

“Well then,” She said, “World’s collide, huh? My father’s top man, my ex-girlfriend, and my old playmate. It really is a small world after all.”

“Agnes, please,” Eugene said, stepping forward, “Don’t hurt her.”

“Oh, we won’t, Rider,” Gold Tooth snarled. “Not until AFTER you let us all out safely.”

“Now, now, Gold Tooth,” Lady Caine said like she was scolding a dog, “That’s no way to behave. I owe these two a lot. In fact, I think you two deserve a gift.” She sidekicked Gold Tooth into her old cell, shutting it behind him and turning the key.

“Hey! What are you doing, I’m here to rescue you!” He said.

“And you did a marvelous job,” Lady Caine said, “But it’s over now, and I think your duty is quite finished.” She turned back to Eugene and Cassandra, “A prisoner for a prisoner. Sounds fair, right?”

“Let Rapunzel go, Agnes,” Cassandra demanded, stepping forward with her sword raised. 

“Cassandra, no!” Rapunzel said, “No, both of you, get back. I’ve hurt you both enough, I won’t have you getting hurt again for me.” 

“It’s not them getting hurt I’d be worried about, Princess,” Lady Caine said. 

“Agnes,” Rapunzel said, “If he’s in there, you don’t have to go back to your father.”

“Genius, princess,” Lady Caine said, sarcastically, “You figured that out all by yourself?”

“Fine then. Use me as a hostage to get out of here. Take me with you if you want,” Rapunzel said. 

“Rapunzel, no!” Eugene cried.

“You don’t have to threaten me,” she said, “I’ll go…completely willingly.”

Even Lady Caine looked surprised by that. Eugene and Cassandra were crouched ready to come forward, but Lady Caine held her guard up, tightening her hold on Rapunzel. “Alright…” She said, “Alright, that sounds like a fair deal, I think.”

Rapunzel nodded and started walking forward in step with Lady Caine. “I’d stand back if I were you two,” Lady Caine said as they approached Cassandra and Eugene.

“Rapunzel don’t do this,” Cassandra said as they passed.

“We can find another way,” Eugene added.

“It’s fine,” she said to them, “I swear…I’ll be fine.”

Lady Caine marched her up into the castle and outside to the gates. The guards had rounded up the other mercenaries, but prepared their weapons at the sight of Lady Caine. 

The King, still on the wall, turned in anger, glaring at Lady Caine, “Archers!” He demanded. A number of bowmen pointed crossbows at Lady Caine.

“No, Father!” Rapunzel said, stepping in front of her, “Don’t shoot!”

“Rapunzel, get out of the way!” Her father commanded. 

“No,” She said sternly, “She didn’t deserve the life she got. And while she has done terrible things…I trust…no, I believe that she won’t do it again. Therefore, there’s no reason to lock her up, is there?”

“Open the gates or watch your daughter’s neck bend in ways it shouldn’t,” Lady Caine yelled up.

Rapunzel glared over her shoulder. “You’re not helping.”

“Oh, I’m helping plenty,” Lady Caine said, “And that was a lovely sentiment, but I know the King well enough, he won’t accept it.” She turned back up. “You know I can get over the gate if I want to anyway, why not just make it easy on everyone?” 

The King grumbled and muttered for the guards to open the gate. 

Lady Caine did her best to keep Rapunzel between her and any of the guards weapons. “So, just between us girls,” Lady Caine said as they were passing through, “Why did you agree to go with me?”

“Because you’re right,” Rapunzel said, “Corona…this kingdom…it needs to change. Maybe not through as violent means as you, but…change.”

“And you think that’ll be easier when you’re my prisoner? Working for the outside? Without doing anything criminal?” She said, backing down the woods, “And not, I don’t know, from a position of Royalty in the government itself?”

“I can’t do anything right,” Rapunzel muttered, “I can’t change anything…all I can do is hurt people. Like I hurt you.”

Lady Caine smiled as they made it down the field and towards the woods. “I can see why Cassandra and Eugene like you. You’re both their type.”

Rapunzel wasn’t sure what that meant, but they backed up all the way to the treeline, before Lady Caine let Rapunzel go. Untucking her hair, Rapunzel’s binds fell to the ground. “What are you doing?” Rapunzel asked. 

“The worst thing I can think to do to you,” Lady Caine said. “Sending you back to your cushy little life, and the people who love you dearly even when you hurt them and the big castle that probably is more of a prison to you than it ever was to me. Go back to all of that and let the guilt wreck you every single night for the rest of your life, knowing how you and your family have hurt people like me.” Lady Caine lifted her chin and looked right in Rapunzel’s eyes. “And when you’re Queen, you remember every single one of those things any time you think of doing so much as picking linens for your dinner table or whatever you rich people do.”

Rapunzel blinked in astonishment. “Why are you doing this?” She asked. 

Lady Caine bit her lower lip. “If Cassandra and Eugene saw something in me…well, I think maybe they see something in you too. And you’re positioned to do what I wanted better than I ever could.” 

Rapunzel didn’t know what to say or do. She ended up with, “What are you going to do?”

Lady Caine smirked, “Oh, now that’d be telling, wouldn’t it?” She said. “Here, give Eugene and Cassandra this for me, would you?” She pulled Rapunzel’s chin close and lay a kiss on her lips. 

Rapunzel squeaked in astonishment as Lady Caine backed up, cackling. “See you later, Princess. Or not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One! More! Chapter!


	7. Before something terrible happens to Rapunzel! Hi, Rapunzel.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra and Eugene go to rescue Rapunzel....er, talk to her, anyway

“Go faster!” Cassandra demanded.

“I’m going as fast as I can!” Eugene nudged Maximus along.

Cassandra sat behind him in the saddle “We have to catch up with Lady Caine before something terrible happens to Rapunzel! Hi, Rapunzel. I can only imagine what horrible things she’s doing to her—“

Cassandra cut herself off and Eugene brought Maximus to a screeching halt. They turned around one by one to see Rapunzel, safe and sound, nervously waving at them.

“RAPUNZEL!” They both shouted, jumping off the horse and running for her.

“Uh, hi guys, I—“ Eugene and Cassandra wrapped her up in a tight hug.

“We were so worried about you—“

“We thought something had happened—“

“And we could never forgive ourselves—“

“We tried to rescue you—“

“Guys, guys, I’m okay,” Rapunzel said, chuckling as Cassandra and Eugene held her tightly. “Really, I’m alright. She let me go.”

Cassandra and Eugene exchanged suspicious looks. “Why?” Eugene said.

Rapunzel opened and closed her mouth, “It’s…complicated, I think. She’s a complicated person.”

Eugene and Cassandra rolled their eyes. Rapunzel hung her head, her long blonde hair flowing into her face. “Guys…I…I’m so sorry. Everything I’ve said, everything I’ve done…I’ve been so selfish and I hurt you both.”

“Oh, no, Rapunzel,” Eugene said, lifting her head, “Rapunzel you haven’t done anything wrong.”

“It was…I think we all had some miscommunication,” Cassandra said, “But the important thing is that we talk this all out. So, Rapunzel, I have to ask…Do you love Eugene?”

Rapunzel looked up at Eugene, into his kind, hopeful eyes. “Yes…yes I do.”

Eugene practically glowed, squeezing Rapunzel’s hand. “And…do you love Cassandra?”

Rapunzel turned her gaze to Cassandra, her strong fiery passion showing through her eyes. “Yes…yes I…I love her too.” She swallowed, looking at her feet, “And I don’t…I don’t know who I love more.”

“That’s okay, Raps.” Cassandra said, “It really is. Listen, I told you about how I’m a lesbian, and that’s…more uncommon in Corona, right?” Rapunzel nodded, “Well, there are other…other terms that are similar, maybe even more uncommon. Like, bi or pansexual. Bi and Pan people can love more than just one gender, guys and girls.”

“And then there’s another term,” Eugene said, “One that I never really thought of much before now, and it’s polyamorous. It means you can love and be in love with more than one person at a time. And it doesn’t mean you love others any less, it’s just…more.”

Rapunzel twisted her hair, nervously. “And you guys think…I’m those things? Bi or Pan and poly?”

“Honestly, Raps, it’s up to you to determine how you define yourself,” Cassandra said, “But…But as far as it concerns us, if you want us both…” She exchanged a look with Eugene, “That’s fine with us.”

Rapunzel blinked at them. They smiled at her, identical looks of affection on their faces. “B-both?” she said, “Like, at the same time?”

“Well,” Eugene said, “We’d probably have to work some things out, and it’d mean…pretty constant communication from everyone. Also, any proposals that may or may not have been issued would have to be postponed…”

Rapunzel swallowed, “And…you’d be okay with that?” She looked between them. 

Eugene smiled, pushing Rapunzel’s hair back behind her ear, “How many times do I have to tell you, my dear. You are my dream. This…may not be exactly what I imagined, but…but the important thing is that we’re together, and happy. And if you being happy means sometimes you smooch Cassandra, well…it won’t make it any less sweet when you smooch me.”

Rapunzel turned to Cassandra, who smiled. “I never dreamed in a hundred years that you’d love me back. And despite the fact I think your taste in men is still questionable,”

“Hey!”

“I love you far more than I dislike him. And I’d be willing to share.”

Rapunzel’s small smile turned into a beam. She couldn’t contain herself as she wrapped an arm around both their necks pulling them into a tight hug. She lifted her feet off the ground, depending on them for support, which they gladly gave. “How did I ever get so lucky as to find the both of you?” She said, tears swelling up in her eyes.

“I think you mean, how did WE get so lucky to find YOU,” Eugene said, wrapping an arm around her. 

“Guys, as much as I’d love to play ‘who’s the luckiest,’” Cassandra said, “Maybe we can move the conversation somewhere not a dirt road. Besides, the royal guard still thinks your missing, Rapunzel.”

“Oh!” Rapunzel dropped down to her own feet, “Right, right,” she said, wiping her eyes, “I just love you both so much…”

Pasqual, who’d been hiding in Cassandra’s sleeves, popped out, scampering over to sit on Rapunzel’s shoulder and nuzzle her chin. “Yes, yes, I love you too, Pasqual.”

Behind them, Maximus whinnied, nuzzling the back of Rapunzel’s head. “I love you too, Maximus!” She said, “I love everyone!”

Cassandra and Eugene couldn’t help but laugh. They each offered a hand, and Rapunzel took them both, walking back down the path, her loves on either side.

 

“I’m nervous,” Rapunzel said, twisting her braid Cassandra had helped her with this morning. 

“You got this,” Eugene said, kissing her cheek, “You can stare down a pit of mercenaries without fear, you can handle anything.”

“And besides,” Cassandra said, kissing her other cheek, “We’re going to be right by your side.”

Rapunzel nodded, steeling herself, “Alright, lets do this.”

With no more warning, she strode into the King’s meeting room. “Ah, Rapunzel,” the King said, going over his maps, “This isn’t a good time—“

“I’ll be quick, Father,” She said, her head raised high, “I’m starting my crime prevention task force, helping those who are at risk of turning to a life of crime find better things for their life.”

The King bristled, “Rapunzel, we talked about—“

“Furthermore,” She said, “I’m expanding it into a criminal rehabilitation program, to help former criminals instead of just locking them up in a dungeon for ages. I’m beginning to write things up and consult with experts.”

“Rapunzel,” The King said, “It’s too dangerous, I refuse to fund—“

“The fund will be coming out of my personal allowance as a Princess,” Rapunzel said, “It will be more than enough to cover the costs, and eventually, hopefully, it will actually end up saving the kingdom more money than it costs.”

The King kept shaking his head. “After you were just kidnapped, you can’t expect me to—“

“Don’t worry, Father,” Rapunzel said, “Eugene and Cassandra have already volunteered to help me, they’ll be with me every step of the way. And,” She said, “I’ll be sure to protect them.”

“Rapunzel!” the King shouted. Rapunzel flinched, but Eugene and Cassandra put comforting hands on her back, grounding her. “You are a Princess, and one day you will be Queen, and I cannot allow you to pursue these flights of fancy!”

“It’s not about allowing, Father,” Rapunzel said, “Like I said, the money is coming from my own fund, I don’t need your permission, I’m keeping you informed. And it is exactly because I’ll be Queen I’m implanting this program. It’s the cornerstone of what I want to do when I’m the ruler, but many people will suffer just waiting for me to take charge, so I’m starting it now.” She swallowed, the King seemingly struck silent, “I know you care about me, and that’s why you’re so protective. But I can’t just sit around this castle all day being safe. That’s what Mother Gothel wanted from me.” She could see his face fall at the realization of what he’d been doing. “I know that’s not what you meant to do. You…you love me. And I love you, father. But I need to go out there, meet new people and…and finally do some good in the world. And…And no one can stop me. Not even you.” 

The King sat down, processing everything Rapunzel said. He took a deep sigh. “Take a pair of guards with you,” He said.

She bit her lip, “One guard.”

“Fine.”

“And he has to follow MY orders and back off when I need him to.”

“Yes, yes, fine,” The King said, “As long as he goes with you.”

Rapunzel nodded, “Agreed.”

Rapunzel managed to hold in her giddy excitement until they got out of the room. She jumped in the air, giggling to herself. “We did it! It worked, we did it!”

“You did it,” Cassandra said, kissing Rapunzel on the lips. “All on your own.”

The kiss only made Rapunzel giggle more. “C’mon, lets go out and celebrate!”

“Wait,” Eugene said, “You’ve got a hair out of place.” He slipped her sun hair clip into her braid, “There, perfect.” He kissed her lips too. 

“You were just jealous of my kiss,” Cassandra said, as Eugene slipped his hand together with Rapunzel’s. 

“What?” Eugene said, fake appalled as Cassandra took Rapunzel’s other hand, “That’s absurd. Me? Jealous? Never.”

Rapunzel giggled, “Come on you guys, I want to get ice cream.”

They laughed and followed her as they always did, and always would.

~~~The End~~~

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think! my tumblr is dork-empress.


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